2009 Home Electronics Outlook: Homeowners Investing in Upgrades

CEDIA Experts Predict Consumers Will Improve Their Homes in 2009 with Green, Mobile, Thin, Digital and Wireless Electronics

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - April 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — Despite the economic crisis and record lows in the housing market, experts predict home improvement and upgrades in home electronics to continue in 2009.  The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA), the leading authority in the design and installation of home electronic solutions with more than 3,500 member companies worldwide, surveyed its leadership to identify the top trends and technologies in the residential electronics market for the year.  Energy efficiency, mobile home management, continued flat panel display adoption, digital transitioning and wireless integration came out on top.

“Housing prices and new home construction are at an all-time low right now.  Instead of trying to sell, many homeowners have turned to retrofitting their homes and investing in comforts that will make their home more enjoyable,” said Utz Baldwin, CEO, CEDIA.  “The trends and technologies we’ve identified are upgrades that will enhance homeowner satisfaction and ultimately add to a home’s value.”

Green

Energy efficient home technologies will be one of the largest areas of growth in the United States with a new administration that is focusing on creating greener jobs.

• Increasing energy efficiencies and reducing energy consumption is a trend that transcends all industries, not just home electronics. In the realm of residential electronics, consumers can increase the efficiency of their home with home automation technologies, including automated window shades for daylight harvesting to allow for more efficient heating and cooling  and enhanced monitoring devices that allow homeowners to identify energy and water consumption sources to adjust usage accordingly.
• There is increasing interest in photovoltaic solar usage in homes as solar technology becomes more affordable and widely available. Solar energy gathered from home solar panels used to be stored in expensive and inefficient batteries, but improved systems can now back feed electricity directly to the power company for credit toward the customer’s account (thus reducing power consumption and saving money).
  

Mobile

Mobile connectivity adds convenience; and the market is continuing to see a migration toward smaller control units as people are using their smart phones to control home automation and media functions.

• Residential security, audio/video and automation systems are being integrated into fully functional mobile devices. For instance, CEDIA experts are installing systems that make it possible for homeowners to turn on the air conditioning remotely, open the garage door after walking the dog and even start the oven for dinner, all with a push of a button on their cellular device.

Thin

LCD sales have been consistently increasing over the years, and, according to Baldwin, thin is still in.  Displays are getting significantly thinner (down to the thickness of a credit card), lighter, significantly more energy efficient, and better for the environment

• LCDs will make up the lion’s share of TV displays sold in 2009.  In addition to LCDs, there will be an increase in the adoption of Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) televisions.  OLED units have a more superior picture quality than LCDs and are even thinner and more energy efficient than current TVs on the market.  Production and purchase of OLEDs is anticipated to increase dramatically into 2010 and 2011.

Digital

CEDIA Members will continue to help homeowners transition to a digital lifestyle – through their televisions and other multimedia components.

• Digital media hubs are gaining in popularity as media server prices drop and content grows easier to transport and store. More televisions are Internet ready, or have a built-in media center, enabling fast access to online content.  Some homeowners are even reducing their monthly expenses by cancelling their cable or satellite service and solely watching local off-air digital broadcasts and content available online.

Wireless

• New electronic technologies hitting the market are wireless. Wireless speakers, wireless security systems and wireless MP3 players are able to deliver content and allow more products to “talk” to one another without being directly connected by wires.

Wires won’t be eliminated completely, but high-bit rate wireless technology makes it possible to send video via a HDMI compatible link from source and control equipment directly to a digital display. When updating a home’s wireless infrastructure, consumers need to make certain that they not only have the latest security for protecting the data running throughout the house, but also make sure they have enough bandwidth to handle the increased load. The increased use of bandwidth intensive multimedia content delivered wirelessly can quickly over-run a system if improperly installed or calibrated.

CEDIA Experts made note of two technology trends that are likely to top the list heading into 2010:

 

Gaming

Gaming continues to grow across the globe, and more advanced systems continue to increase the dependency on connectivity, placing higher demands on a home’s network infrastructure and capacity. Video game consoles are quickly becoming the “Swiss army knife” of home media devices, as people are using their video game consoles as media servers to download pictures, chat online and even watch movies. Dedicated gaming environments are being designed into home entertainment rooms as participatory games become more integrated into family entertainment and place new demands on sound, image, and input devices/controllers.

Telecommuting

As gas prices fluctuate, work schedules become more flexible and companies adapt more advanced systems, more consumers are working from home and telecommuting.  CEDIA Members are installing more home office technologies that allow people to access office files and systems remotely and even host meetings and conferences virtually from the comfort of their completely integrated home office.

Adopting These Technologies At Home

The “electronic revolution” isn’t something a homeowner should take on without help.

“While many new products are marketed as do-it-yourself projects, the integration of these products really requires a talented and educated professional to ensure that the system works to its maximum performance and reliability,” said Dave Pedigo, senior director of technology, CEDIA. “There are many variables and nuances to these products that can only be exploited by trained and certified professionals such as a CEDIA Certified Designer or Installer.”

Finding a CEDIA Member is easy.  Visit www.cedia.org and use the free Electronic Lifestyles® Finder Service to locate a CEDIA Certified professional close to home.  CEDIA Certified professionals are a select group of proven experts who are committed to higher standards of education and training.  Hiring a CEDIA certified professional offers peace of mind - and the finest in custom electronic design and installation.

About CEDIA

CEDIA is an international trade association of companies that specialize in designing and installing electronic systems for the home.  The association was founded in September 1989 and has more than 3,500 member companies worldwide.  CEDIA Members are established and insured businesses with bona fide qualifications and experience in this specialized field.  For more information on CEDIA, visit the association’s website at www.cedia.org.

Contact:

Jamie Antcliff
CEDIA
317-328-4336, ext. 119

Eric Lingaur, MS&L Public Relations
(248)-458-8649

Tagged as: CEDIA, Home Electronics, homeowners, Homeowners Investing